Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
DUBUQUE AND SIOUX CITY RAILROAD
DUBUQUE AND SIOUX CITY RAILROAD. The Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad came about after Morris K. Jesup forced the DUBUQUE AND PACIFIC RAILROAD into receivership in 1860. Jesup held many of the railroad's defaulted bonds and wanted to put the line on a firm financial basis. The Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad was incorporated on August 1, 1860. Jesup controlled the company for twenty-seven years and held the presidency from 1866 to 1887.
The railroad reached Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1861, but the CIVIL WAR ended all further construction except for a feeder line called the Cedar Falls and Minnesota Railroad. This line had been incorporated on April 16, 1858 by Platt SMITH and others who were also involved with the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad.
It was not until not until June 1, 1866 that the first train reached Iowa Falls from Dubuque. On April 15 a large crowd of people met the train at its arrival. A three-day celebration was held; a special excursion train ran from Dubuque to Iowa Falls on April 24th. Both the Dubuque Herald and Dubuque Times carried stories of the celebration. Evening entertainment, dinner and dancing were held at Sayer's Hall. The following day the excursion returned to Dubuque where another grand celebration was held.
Despite the celebration, the fact remained that the Dubuque and Sioux City, the Iowa connection for the Illinois Central, was only half way across the state. Other lines were making much greater progress. On October 1, 1867 the Illinois Central leased the Dubuque and Sioux City for twenty years. Platt Smith was instrumental in forming the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad Company at the time of the lease acquiring the franchise, right-of-way, and land grants belonging to the Dubuque and Sioux City west of Iowa Falls to Sioux City.
---
Source:
Donovan, Frank P. Jr. Iowa Railroads. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2000, p. 104-109, 112-114
